Subsampling fiber testing system

ABSTRACT

A gin process control system including sensing stations for sensing the physical properties of cotton as it progresses through a gin. A moisture sensor determines, over a wide range of values, the amount of moisture in the cotton. A quality monitor determines the color of the cotton, color distribution, and the amount and type of trash or other impurities which may be entrained in the cotton. A micronaire unit determines both micronaire and cotton maturity. A fiber length tester provides information on the length distribution, breaking strength, and elongation of the cotton fibers. Cotton samples are gathered from the gin flow stream and presented to the sensing stations in a variety of manual, semi-automated, and automated fashions. In a fully automated unit, the sensing stations are connected directly to the gin. The sensing stations are also in communication with the gin process control system, which uses the data from the sensing stations to automatically control the operation of the gin. Alternately, the sensing stations are assembled into a stand-alone unit. In a semi-automatic version of the stand-alone unit, samples are manually gathered and presented to the unit in cassettes for automated subsampling and testing by the sensing stations. In this semi-automatic version, the sensing stations may be in a configuration identical to that of the fully automatic, on-line unit. In a manual version of the stand-alone unit, the samples are manually gathered and manually placed into contact with the various sensing stations. The information reported by the stand-alone units can be used to manually control the operation of the gin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a method and apparatus forprocessing fibrous materials such as cotton. More particularly, thepresent invention relates to a cotton gin processing method andapparatus for optimizing the quality of cotton.

The term "cotton" may be used in reference to either "seed cotton" or"lint." Seed cotton is the raw, natural flower of the cotton planthaving the plant seed in intimate presence with the fiber of the flower.Lint is the flower fiber in isolation from the seed.

Cotton ginning includes drying and trash removal from the seed cotton,separation of the plant seed from the lint, additional trash removalfrom the lint, lint consolidation and bale packaging. Depending on themechanical capacities of the process equipment, a cotton gin may processas much as 150,000 pounds of seed cotton per hour into 12,000 pounds perhour of lint that is packaged into 500 pound bales. As implied, a cottonginning system consists of several different types of processingmachines or devices. Each machine is designed to influence one or morephysical properties of the lint product.

Lint quality after ginning is a function of its initial, natural qualityas well as the type and degree of cleaning, drying or moisturizing itreceives during the gin process. Fiber color, length, strength anddensity are natural attributes of quality. The presence of moisture andtrash, however, are externally imposed quality characteristicssusceptible to modification by mechanical influences. Research hasestablished that the apparent strength of cotton fibers is directlyproportional to fiber moisture content and is therefore greater athigher moisture levels. Consequently, as fiber moisture content islowered, as by drying, the apparent strength is reduced and thefrequency of fiber breakage during ginning is increased.

Being a hygroscopic material, the natural moisture content of cottonvaries in relation to the relative humidity of the surrounding air.Cotton harvested during periods of high humidity may arrive at gins witha moisture content as high as 12 percent or more whereas cottonharvested during periods of low humidity may contain fiber moisture of 4percent or less. For these reasons, gins seeking to gin lint at apredetermined moisture content must be prepared to add as well as removemoisture from the cotton being processed. Nevertheless, most cotton inthe United States is processed in a standardized sequence without regardto actual quantities of trash or moisture present in an immediateprocess batch. Consequently, some cotton may be over dried or processedthrough more cleaners than necessary for the level of trash originallypresent in the cotton. Such unnecessary or even harmful processing canresult in decreased fiber quality and increased cost and/or processingtime.

Since much of the American cotton crop is harvested during low-humidityperiods and often arrives at the gin with fiber moisture from 4 to 5percent, the average fiber length of such cotton may be improved byadding moisture before fiber-seed separation and lint cleaning byreducing the number of fibers that break in the gin stands and lintcleaners. However, restoration of moisture to ginned lint will notimprove fiber length. On the other hand, cotton with fiber moisture of 9percent or more may neither gin smoothly nor process properly throughthe lint cleaners. Thus, the recommended fiber moisture level of 6.5 to8 percent has a gin production aspect as well as a product qualityaspect.

Removal of trash is primarily associated with the economics of marketgrade and price. However, there exists a point of diminishing returnswhere the benefits of further trash removal are offset by fiber andcottonseed damage and excessive loss of weight. Most modern gins containcleaning equipment to handle the most severe trash condition that isexpected in their service areas. Actual use of that equipment preferablyshould be based upon the incoming trash content of the cotton, andcleaner cottons should not be processed through every cleaning machinein the gin just because it is available. Trash removal should berestricted to that which is necessary to produce the grade determined bythe color of the cotton. Further cleaning reduces the weight withoutincreasing the value of the bale.

One way to optimize the cotton processing sequence is to control thetemperature of equipment such as driers and to bypass certain machines,such as seed cotton cleaners and lint cleaners that may not be necessaryfor the particular cotton being processed. Traditionally, physicalproperties of the cotton such as trash content, moisture content, color,fiber length, length variation, fiber strength, fiber elongation andfiber thickness were not monitored as the gin process progressed.Consequently, no system or method existed to determine a processsequence that would optimize the lint product quality, grade or value.Since there was no method for determining the optimum quality sequence,there were no means or apparatuses for carrying out an optimum qualitysequence.

Changing the number of cleaners used in a conventional cotton ginningsystem requires downtime for the system as well as labor costs formanually changing the valve configurations. It has been estimated thatat least five minutes are required to change the valves on a single ginstand lint cleaner device, for those gin systems that are equipped withflow sequence change valves. A gin typically has three or more sets oflint cleaners in series or parallel processing lines but not all areequipped with bypass valves.

To bypass a machine such as a lint cleaner in a conventional ginningsystem, the flow of cotton is stopped through the gin stand thatimmediately precedes the lint cleaner. If equipped, the valves in thematerial flow conduits to the machine that is to be bypassed are thenclosed, usually manually. The bypassed machine is then stopped. To putthe bypassed machine back online, the process must be reversed. In orderto bypass a machine such as a seed cotton cleaner or drier, all of thepreceding machines must be stopped which consequently stops the flow ofcotton throughout the entire gin system for a period of several minuteswhile the seed cotton cleaner valves are manually changed.

More recently, the United States Department Of Agriculture and othershave sponsored the development of online sensors for measuring color,moisture and trash values. Such developments are partially representedby U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,444 to W. S. Anthony et al, U.S. Pat. No.5,087,120 to W. S. Anthony, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,955, also to W. S.Anthony. As relevant to the present invention, the entirety of theseprior art patent disclosures are incorporated herein by reference.

Pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/691,069, also incorporatedentirely herein by reference, describes a cotton gin system havingonline sensors for the physical properties of color and moisture.Additionally, application Ser. No. 08/691,069 teaches an onlinemeasurement of the relative trash content in the system flow stream.Data corresponding to these measurements is transmitted to a centralprocessing unit (CPU). The CPU is a central control computer having acomputer program logic that receives and processes the online sensordata to generate a gin decisional matrix from which flow sequencedecisions are made that optimize the economic value of the flow stream.With a specific flow sequence concluded, appropriate operating signalsare issued to powered flow controllers such as motor operated valves inthe seed cotton or lint transport conduits.

Although pending application Ser. No. 08/691,069 represents asignificant stride toward online quality development, the variable database contributed to the program logic still is only color, moisture andtrash. Fiber length, fiber length variation, fiber strength, theelongation capacity of the fiber and the fiber perimeter and wallthickness related property of micronaire are not considered by the priorart program logic.

There is, therefore, need for an automatic gin control system thatconsiders fiber strength, fiber length, fiber length variations,elongation capacity of the fiber and micronaire cotton properties alongwith color, moisture and trash in development of an optimum qualityprocessing sequence. Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide a gin control system having online sensors formeasuring fiber strength, fiber length, length variation, elongationcapacity and micronaire as well as color, moisture and trash.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a substantiallyunitized instrument assembly that may be positioned at many locationsalong the material flow path of a gin system.

A further object of the present invention is an apparatus that extractsa physical sample from an active gin processing stream withoutsubstantially interrupting the cotton flow stream continuity therein foran automatic manipulation of that physical sample to determine theaverage length of the fiber in transit, the variations in the fiberlength, the elongation value of the fiber and the breaking strength ofthe fiber sample.

Also an object of the invention is to provide several new instrumentsfor the measurement of micronaire.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus formaking a micronaire determination that avoids the necessity for weighingthe sample.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a modified methodand apparatus for determining the maturity of a cotton sample.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method andapparatus for obtaining a micronaire property measure from a live flowstream without manual invasion or substantial interruption of the flowstream.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a substantiallyunitized instrument assembly as a stand-alone piece of equipment, whichis adapted to testing cotton fibers that are already removed from asource, such as a cotton gin, and manually presented as samples to thestand-alone instrument.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide asubstantially unitized instrument assembly as a stand-alone piece ofequipment, which is adapted to testing cotton fibers that are alreadyremoved from a source, such as a cotton gin, and which can acquire andprepare the sample to be tested without manual assistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In a cotton gin having a plurality of treatment units and ducting fortransporting a flow of air entrained cotton, flow control devices suchas remotely controlled motor valves are positioned in the ducting forselectively including or excluding particular treatment units. The ductflow control status of each flow control device is ordered by a gincontrol computer that is programmed to select a gin process sequencebased upon data from online cotton property measurements. The cottonproperty tests made are for fiber strength, fiber length, fiber lengthvariation and length elongation as well as for moisture, colorcontamination, micronaire and maturity. As desired, the control programmay be written to bias the lint product quality, the lint grade, thelint value or other such control objective. Pivotal to the integrity ofthe program sequence directed by the computer is the accuracy andconsistency of cotton property data transmitted to the computer.

The present invention provides for online cotton flow stream samples tobe isolated within the material transport ducting by paddle typesamplers that temporarily collect a sample quantity of the duct flowstream and press it against a transparent window wall in the conduit.Reflectance or spectrographic optical sensors on the external side ofthe transparent window wall respond to light values reflected from thesample mass pressed against the internal side of the window wall. Suchreflected light values are detected by the optical sensor and used todetermine the color and trash content of the sample.

Moisture content of the flow stream sample that is captured by theonline paddle is measured by a sensor having an electrical resistancegrid. This resistance grid may be imbedded in the duct wall in apreferred embodiment or, alternatively, imbedded in the paddle. As thepaddle presses the accumulated sample against the wall, the sample massis intimately pressed against the resistance grid to induce a low butmeasurable leakage current through the sample having a current valueproportional to the moisture content of the sample.

The same or an independent paddle sample accumulator may also be used topress an in-conduit flow stream sample against a screen or aperture gridin the duct wall. On the exterior side of the duct wall but isolatedfrom external atmosphere, is a closed circuit belt conveyor that carriesa plurality of combs. As the belt is driven around the closed circuit,the combs are passed against the exterior surface of the aperture gridto rake a sampling of fibers from packed patches of fiber protrudingthrough the apertures of the grid under the compression pressure of thepaddle. With the fiber samples attached as a beard to the comb tines,the samples are firmly secured by a pinch bar. As the conveyor beltadvances, the comb and attached fibers arrives at a combing stationwhere the sample of fibers secured by the belt comb are combed. A secondmovement increment advances the belt comb and fiber sample held therebyto a brushing station that completes the parallelization of the beardfibers and removes loose fibers and foreign entities. A third station inthe belt circuit first scans the sample beard optically for a compositeof the length profile thereby providing length distribution data(fibergram) from which mean length, short fiber length and lengthuniformity are derived.

Next, the extended sample beard is gripped between vise jaws secured toa load cell and measured tensile force is applied between the grippingcomb and the vise jaws until the beard breaks. This measured tensileforce relates to the fiber tensile strength and fiber elongation.

Following the length measure/breaking station, the beard residualremaining in the gripping comb is advanced to a doffing station wherethe pinch bar is removed from engagement with the comb tines to releasethe fiber particles into a vacuum removal system. For each station inthe conveyor belt circuit, a sampling comb is provided to therebyproduce an incrementally continuous flow of electrically transmitteddata proportional to the measured fiber length, fiber length variation,fiber tensile strength and fiber elongation.

Micronaire is an empirical measure of cotton fineness distinctive to thetextile industry based upon fiber perimeter and fiber wall thickness.The micronaire value is determined by measuring a flow of air passingthrough the sample. The total fiber surface determines the flowresistance. By the traditional micronaire procedure, a known air flowrate is forced through a predetermined axial length of a fiber packedcylinder having a predetermined volume. The pressure loss over thataxial length is measured and the measured value normalized by the weightof fiber within the packed volume. Implicitly, the micronaire propertytest requires several discrete steps including: isolation of a testquantity of fiber; placing that test quantity in a cylindrical testcell; applying the test flow stream to the test cell and through thetest quantity of fiber; measuring the pressure drop of air flow acrossthe axial length; and, weighing the test quantity of fiber.

In the present invention, an online micronaire is accomplished by aducting shunt from the main material carrier duct. A fiber suspendingflow stream is induced into the shunt to deposit fiber against the faceof a porous or perforated piston that constitutes a test cell end wall.As the shunt flow stream continues, fiber accumulates against the porouspiston face and along the cylinder bore in front of the piston face. Apair of axially spaced pressure tap zones along the cylinder bore arepressure differentially monitored as an indicator of the quantity offiber accumulated within the cylinder bore. At a predeterminedaccumulation point, the shunt is closed to the main fiber transport ductand a second perforated piston enters the fiber accumulation volume tocompress the accumulation between the opposite piston faces. The volumeto which the accumulation is compressed is a known constant or known bymeasured determination. In the latter case, the face of the compressionpiston engages the accumulated fiber mass to a predetermined pressure orforce value. The position of the piston face at that compression forcedue is then measured for a corresponding volume determination. Sodisposed, a known air flow rate is established through the accumulatedfiber within the fixed volume between the opposing piston faces and thecorresponding pressure differential measured. Following measure of thepressure differential across the known volume, the first porous pistonis retracted to open an axial extension of the accumulation cylinder toa tangential exit conduit. An abrupt pressure pulse of air against thesecond piston end of the accumulated fiber sample mobilizes the samplefrom the test position into the exit conduit. Transport along the exitconduit deposits the test sample onto a scale platform by which theweight of the test sample is taken, for those methods which require aweight measurement to be taken. Signals proportional to the testpressure differential and the test sample weight (either measured orempirically determined) are transmitted to the CPU for micronairedetermination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will emerge from thefollowing description of the preferred embodiments that references thedrawings wherein:

FIG. 1A is a cotton gin flow schematic of the seed cotton feed controlsection;

FIG. 1B is a continuation of the FIG. 1A flow schematic including twoseed cotton dryers and an intermediate stick and green leaf cleaningmachine;

FIG. 1C is a continuation of the FIG. 1B flow schematic including twoadditional seed cotton cleaners, a gin stand and two lint cleaners;

FIG. 1D is a continuation of the FIG. 1C flow schematic of the lintbaling station;

FIG. 2 is a flow control schematic for a cotton gin pursuant to thepresent invention;

FIG. 3 is a representative in-situ cotton flow stream sampling apparatusapplicable to the practice of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section of the FIG. 3 and FIG. 9 apparatus as viewedalong the cutting plane 4--4 of those Figures;

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a first type of duct flowcontrol apparatus applicable to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail of the FIG. 5 apparatus within theperimeter of the FIG. 5 focal circle 6;

FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of a second type of duct flowcontrol apparatus applicable to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of a third type of duct flowcontrol apparatus applicable to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a mechanical schematic of the in-situ fiber length andstrength sampling and testing apparatus for the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of the fiber length and strengthproperty testing apparatus of the present invention shown as amechanical schematic format;

FIG. 11 is a partially sectioned top plan view of the length andstrength property testing apparatus of the present invention shown as amechanical schematic;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional side view of the fiber length and strengthproperty testing apparatus of the present invention shown as an explodedmechanical schematic;

FIG. 13 is an end view of the fiber length and strength property testingapparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a cross-section of the optical scanning elements for the FIG.13 apparatus as viewed along cutting plane 14--14;

FIG. 15 is a cross-section of the fiber strength measuring elements forthe FIG. 13 apparatus as viewed along cutting plane 14--14;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged detail of elements within the perimeter of FIG.15 focal circle 16;

FIG. 17 is a mechanical schematic of the first embodiment of an in-situsampling and micronaire testing apparatus for the present invention inthe sample extraction mode;

FIG. 18 is a mechanical schematic of the first embodiment in-situsampling and micronaire testing apparatus in the air flow measurementmode;

FIG. 19 is a mechanical schematic of the first embodiment in-situsampling and micronaire testing apparatus in the sample discharge mode;

FIG. 20 is a sectioned enlargement of the air flow measuring section ofthe first embodiment micronaire test apparatus;

FIG. 21 is an elevational schematic of a first alternative sampleextraction device;

FIG. 22 is a first alternative micronaire testing apparatus;

FIG. 23 is a second alternative micronaire testing apparatus;

FIG. 24 is an elevational schematic of a second alternative sampleextraction device;

FIG. 25 is an enlarged representation of a beard sample prepared fortesting;

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a semi-automated stand alone testingapparatus;

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a cassette for a semi-automated standalone testing apparatus; and

FIGS. 28A-28D are perspective and plan views of a manual stand alonetesting apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Process Flow System

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1D of the drawings wherein like referencecharacters designate like or similar machines or elements throughout theseveral figures of the drawings, a typical cotton ginning system isrepresented. Generally, cotton is transported sequentially through andbetween each processing station in an air flow stream confined withinair duct conduits. Air flow velocity within a telescope pickup systemfor fluidized transport of seed cotton may be 5,500 to 6,000 ft/min. Airflow velocity for fluidized transport of lint cotton is about 2,000 to3,500 ft/min.

Cotton may be delivered from the growing fields to the gin in loose bulkor in consolidated modules. Loose bulk deliveries are drawn by a vacuumdraft into the supply transport ducting 20 through a telescoping pickuppipe 10. Rail car or highway van size consolidated modules 16, on theother hand, may be placed upon a feed conveyor 15 for controlled feedinto a dispersing head 12 and against a battery of rotatively driven,spiked rollers 14. The spiked rollers shred the module along a leadingface to free the individual seed cotton bolls which are drawn into afeed hopper 17 by the draft of a fan 18. A suction pickup pipe 11 passesthe seed cotton flow into the supply transport duct 20.

Next along the seed cotton process line may be a green boll and rockseparator 22. Machine-stripped cotton frequently contains many green,immature bolls that cause ginning problems such as clogging of the ginsaw teeth, failure of the seed roll to turn, accumulation of stickymaterial on the inner surface of the roll boxes and on the saws andmoving surfaces of the gin stands and other machines. Many of the greenbolls are broken open by the cleaning machines and their contents addmoisture to the adjacent cotton. Also, moisture is transferred fromother wet plant materials to dry cotton, causing ginning problems.Cotton and cotton seed, especially when immature, contain small amountsof substances that become sticky when wet and that can be responsiblefor the gumming of gin machinery. Additionally, spindle pickers andmachine strippers will pick up rocks, clods, metal scrap, roots andother heavy objects in the field. These contaminants must be removedbefore the cotton reaches the gin's processing machines to cause machinedamage, flow obstructions or fires.

One of several types of green boll and rock separators employcentrifugal force arising from an abrupt change in the duct flowdirection. Open, mature bolls tend to follow the air flow path moreclosely than the heavier, dense materials. Such dense materials tend tocontinue along a straight line of travel tangentially from the abrupt,air flow directional change. This tangential path leads into acontaminant collection chamber and expulsion from the system.

Seed cotton feed rate into the supply transport ducting 20 and throughthe green boll and rock separator is controlled by a surge bin 24.Sensors in the surge bin turn the suction off and on by opening andclosing a valve in the supply transport duct 20.

Past the surge bin vacuum dropper 26, the seed cotton flow enters afirst dryer supply duct 28 which delivers the flow into a first dryingtower 30, depicted in FIG. 1B. As the cotton flow enters the dryer, theflow is mixed with dry, heated air. First dryer discharge ducting 32transports the fluidized seed cotton flow into a first six cylinderinclined flow cleaner 34 for removal of finely divided particles and foropening and preparing the seed cotton for the drying and extractionprocesses to follow. The cylinder cleaner 34 consists of a series ofspiked cylinders, usually 4 to 7 in number, that agitate and convey theseed cotton across cleaning surfaces containing small openings or slots.The cleaning surfaces may be either concave screen or grid rod sections,or serrated discs. Foreign matter that is dislodged from the seed cottonby the action of the cylinders falls through the screen, grid rod ordisc openings for collection and disposal through a trash duct 36. Theprocessed flow stream is delivered to a vacuum dropper 38 and atransport duct section 39. Vacuum supply duct 37 maintains a pressuredifferential across the screen or grid boundary to bias the transfer ofdislodged trash through the screen or grid into a trash collection bin.

The next seed cotton cleaning apparatus in a typical gin system may be astick and green leaf machine 40 which includes two saw cylinders 42 anda reclaimed saw cylinder 44. Cleaned cotton continues through the vacuumdropper 45 into the second tower dryer supply duct 47. Trash and rejectmaterial separated by the stick and green leaf machine 40 passes avacuum dropper 49 into a trash discharge duct 50.

Proper drying of damp cotton benefits the producer, ginner, and spinnerin several ways. Dryers condition the seed cotton for smoother and morecontinuous operation of the gin plant by removing excess moisture and byfluffing the partly opened locks. For these reasons, sufficient dryingcapacity is provided to a well conceived gin facility to accommodate a"worst case" circumstance. However, excessive drying can cause qualityproblems. Over drying damage comes from two sources: getting the fiberstoo hot and excess fiber breakage. Processing cotton through mechanicalcleaners, gin stands, and saw-type lint cleaners while it is too dry andbrittle induces fiber breakage thereby reducing the average fiberlength. If the second tower dryer 52 is used, the material flow streamemerges through the second dryer discharge duct 54 for delivery to asecond cylinder inclined cleaner 56, depicted in FIG. 1C. As the spikedcylinders pass the seed cotton over and under the cylinder alignment,vacuum drawn from the screen draft duct 59 pulls air through the cottonflow and the screen or grid. Dry contaminants on the cotton, loosened bythe spiked cylinder mauling, are drawn through the screen or grid ontothe trash collection bin for discharge through the trash duct 58. Acceptcotton is discharged at the top of the cylinder incline into a vacuumdropper 60 and into an intermediate transport duct 62 for delivery to athird inclined cylinder cleaning machine 64.

This third cleaner, however, also includes a lint reclaiming sawcylinder 66 that discharges loose lint captured from the flow streaminto a vacuum dropper 68. Lint passed through the vacuum dropper 68 maybe routed alternatively into an air lint cleaner 80 or into acontrolled-batt saw lint cleaner 82 in the post-gin stand flow stream.Main flow from the third inclined cylinder cleaner 64 is next routedinto a screw conveyor/distributor 72 for distribution along a gin supplychute 74 into the gin stand feeder assembly 76. The primary function ofthe feeder assembly is to feed the seed cotton flow to the gin standuniformly and at controllable rates.

The gin stand 78 is the heart of the gin plant. This mechanism separatesthe cotton seed from the cotton lint. The capacity of the system and thequality and potential spinning performance of the lint produced dependson the operating condition of the gin. Gin stand operational quality mayaffect every commonly measured fiber property except fiber strength andmicronaire. Usually positioned immediately after the gin stand is an airlint cleaner 80. Loose lint from the gin stand is blown through a ductwithin the chamber of the air lint cleaner. Air and cotton movingthrough the duct change direction abruptly as they pass across a narrowtrash-ejection slot. Foreign matter that is heavier than the cottonfibers and not too tightly held by the fibers is ejected through theslot by inertial force.

Fluidized lint flow from the gin stand 78 and the air lint cleaner 80 isformed by saw lint cleaners 82 into a bat on a condenser screen drum.The bat is then fed through one or more sets of compression rollers,passed between a very closely fitted feed roller and feed plate or bar,and fed onto a saw-cylinder. Each set of compression rollers rotatesslightly faster than the preceding series and produces some thinning ofthe batt. The feed roller and plate grip the batt so that a combingaction takes place as the saw teeth seize the fibers. The teeth of thesaw cylinder convey the fibers to the discharge point. While on the sawcylinder, the fibers are cleaned by a combination of centrifugal force,scrubbing action between saw cylinder and grid bars, and gravityassisted by an air current. The fibers may be doffed from the saw teethby a revolving brush, air blast, or air suction. Depending on the numberand capacity of contributing gin stands, a plurality of saw lintcleaners 82 may be cooperatively connected in a parallel battery 84 orin a serial sequence.

Bale packaging is the final step in processing cotton at the gin. Thepackaging system consists of a battery condenser 90, a lint slide 94, alint feeder 96 and bale press machinery 98, depicted in FIG. 1D. Cleanlint flow from the lint cleaner battery 84 is discharged into acondenser delivery duct 86. Condensers 90 have a slow-turning, screenedor perforated metal-covered drum 92 on which the ginned lint forms abatt. The batt is discharged between doffing rollers to the lint slide94. Conveying air supplied by a vane-axial or high volume centrifugalfan passes through the screen on the drum and is discharged out one endof the drum through an air duct 99. The lint slide is a sheet metaltrough connecting the battery condenser 90 to the lint feeder 96 of thebaling station 98. The lint slide is installed at an angle of 33° to 45°from the horizontal to ensure sliding movement of the lint batt withoutrolling.

Material Transport System

Referring to FIG. 2, the cardinal process machines described above withrespect to FIGS. 1A-1D are shown by block representation. Linesconnecting the machine blocks represent cotton transport ducting.Arrowheads in the duct lines represent the predominant flow direction inthe respective duct. Simplistically, each process machine is shown witha cotton flow line in and a flow line out. In reality, the flow systemis much more complex with parallel and shunt flows energized by fandraft systems and checked by powered vacuum droppers. For the presentpurposes, however, it is sufficient to represent flow control into andfrom a respective process machine by a single, 4-way valve symbol 100.It should be understood that the actual flow control device or devicesemployed for each machine may be more than one apparatus, the flowrouting may differ from that of a 4-way valve or flow controllers may becompletely omitted between particular process machines. Understandingthe foregoing caveat, the 4-way valves 100A-100K provide two flowcontrol routes by which the primary material flow stream may bealternatively routed into the associated process machine or past themachine as desired or commanded by control signals from a centralcomputer 200. If primary material flow is routed into the processmachine, discharge flow from the process machine is shown to be routedback to the 4-way valve for controlled return to the primary flowstream. If a process machine is bypassed, the flow discharge ductingfrom the machine is either blocked or connected to the inlet flow ductfor closed loop isolation.

Each of the valves 100A-K is operated by a motor of a form appropriateto the specific machine application. Such motors may be energized byelectricity, compressed air or hydraulics. Here, the term "motor" isused expansively to include both rotating and linear drive machinery.Hence, motor control includes all of those actions and devices essentialto convert a particular command signal from the computer 200 into thedesired duct flow control objective. Such technology is well known tothose of ordinary skill in the art and will not be further describedherein except with respect to some mechanisms shown by FIGS. 5-8 thatare particularly suitable for duct flow control. Accordingly, the FIG. 2lines 102 A-K connecting the duct flow control devices 100A-K with thecontrol computer 200 represent the respective duct control signaltransmission routes.

Associated with the cotton transfer ducting between each processingmachine are sensor data transmitters 120 A-L connected by signal carrierconduits 122 A-L. In practice, each of the data transmitters 120 of FIG.2 may represent a multiplicity of data transmitters, each transmitter ofthe multiplicity serving a particular cotton property measured by acorresponding test instrument.

Cotton Sample Extraction

FIG. 3 illustrates, in transparent outline, a typical squarecross-section duct 110 for fluidized transport of air entrained cottonrepresented by the directional flow arrow 112. Along one duct boundarywall 104 is a sample depression 114 having a floor plane 116 betweenside walls 118. Set within the depression floor plane 116 is atransparent window 124 and a matrix 126 of apertures through the floorplane 116. Hinged between oppositely facing side walls 118 for rotationwith an axle 136 parallel with the floor plane is a flapper element 130.Referring to the sectional view of FIG. 4, it is seen that thedepression floor plane 116 is substantially spaced from the upstreamface 132 of the flapper element when the flapper is rotated out of theduct flow stream. Preferably, the downstream face 134 is substantiallyparallel with the plane of duct wall 104 when the flapper 130 is rotatedout of the duct flow stream. Flapper rotation may be driven by anysuitably controlled power means such as a linear strut motor not shownacting upon a crank arm 138.

As described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,120 and 5,639,955, the completespecifications of which are incorporated herein by reference, a samplequantity of cotton in the duct flow stream is quickly accumulatedagainst the upstream face 132 of the flapper when raised transverselyinto the flow stream. Further rotation of the flapper presses the cottonsample accumulation into the depression 114 as a tightly compacted massof cotton 128 against the window 124 and the aperture matrix 126. On theexternal side of the window 124 is an optical analysis instrument 150for detecting cotton properties such as color and trash content.Suitable for this purpose are video camera based instruments made byMotion Control, Inc. and Zellweger Uster, Inc., such as is described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/962,973 filed Oct. 28, 1997, theentirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. Light reflectedfrom the cotton surface compacted against the interior window 124surface stimulates electrical signals from the video camera 150. Thesesignals, or an adjusted form thereof, are transmitted to the computer200 as raw input data having proportional relevance to the cotton colorand trash content.

Bonded to the floor 116 of the depression 114 is an electrically chargedgrid 140 comprising at least two parallel conductor circuits. Theconductor elements are uninsulated for intimate electrical contact withcotton accumulations against the upstream face 132 of the flapper 130when the flapper is rotated to compress the accumulation against thegrid 140. Leakage current between the parallel circuits is conducted bythe compacted cotton sample as a variable resistance. The resistancevalue of the cotton sample 128 is proportional to the cotton samplemoisture content. At a known voltage potential between the parallelcircuits, the sample moisture content is proportional to thecorresponding circuit current flow. Values for the current flow aretherefore transmitted to the computer 200 as sample moisture data.

In an alternative embodiment, the parallel conductor circuits formoisture content sensing may be bonded against the upstream face 132 ofthe flapper 130. The moisture sensor is more completely described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/963,855 filed Nov. 4, 1997, theentirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Cotton sample accumulations 128 against the upstream face 132 of theflapper 130 that are compacted into the depression 114 by rotation ofthe flapper also are compacted against the aperture matrix 126.Resultantly, lenticular bulges 142 of fiber protrude from the externalside of the aperture plate 126. With respect to FIGS. 4 and 9, a closedcourse conveyor or such as an endless carrier belt 160 having aplurality of comb devices 162 secured thereto is coursed around aplurality of sprockets 164. Each comb is constructed with a rotatabletine carrier as described by U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,007. This carrier beltis secured to the ducting 110 or other rigid framing structure to alignthe comb 162 traveling route into close proximity with the external faceof the aperture plate and the matrix of cotton bulges 142. Movement ofthe combs 162 drives the extended tines through the protruding cottonbulges 142 to rake out a subsample of cotton fiber.

This subsample is characterized as a "beard" due to the physicalappearance as an elongated, thin, flat, cluster of various fiberlengths. Preferably, carrier belt movement is intermittent with eachincrement of the belt traveling distance being coordinated to theminimum separation distances between several beard preparation andtesting stations 166, 168, 170, and 172. Placement spacing betweensuccessive belt combs 162 along the carrier belt preferably correspondsto the belt movement interval. The stationary or standing intervalbetween carrier belt movements is determined by the greatest beardsample processing time among the plural sequence. Normally, the standinginterval is determined by the time required for a full cycle of thelength/strength test instrument 170. Movement of the carrier belt 160 isdriven by a motor not shown coupled to one of the belt carrier sprockets164. Operational control over the belt drive motor may be by the centralcomputer 200 but not necessarily so. Operation of the belt 160 isessentially independent of the computer 200 operation except fortransmission of fiber property data to the computer 200.

Sample gathering by the flapper 130 also is an intermittent operationthat includes a sample purging phase. Following at least one video scanof a compacted cotton sample 128 and the raking of at least onesubsample beard, the flapper 130 is rotated away from the compactedsample 128 and into a downstream streamlining depression 144. Normalboundary layer turbulence and aspiration induced by the duct flowmainstream 112 purges the compacted sample 128 from the sampledepression 114 and off the upstream face 132 of the flapper 130.

Representative samples of the main duct flow stream 112 for themicronaire test are preferably extracted by a shunting duct 180 depictedin FIG. 3. There are many well known techniques for inducing a smallflow stream departure from a larger flow stream and most will include apartial vacuum or lower absolute pressure zone in the shunt duct 180near its junction 182 with the main duct 100. In the example of FIG. 3,erection of the flapper 130 creates a localized static pressure increasein the main flow stream proximate of the junction 182. A small, inducedexit draft along the shunting duct 180 away from the junction 182 willdraw cotton particles out of the main flow stream into the shunting duct180. A steady draft source for the shunting duct 180 is convenientlycontrolled by a disc valve 184 in the shunting duct flow channel. Thedisc axle shaft may be rotated, for example, by a crank arm 186 and alinear motor not shown.

One alternative sample extraction method and apparatus for themicronaire test or others is represented by FIG. 21. A cotton sampleaccumulation 128 within the transport duct 110 is compressed by anysuitable means such as a reversing tamper 146 that presses the cottonbed 128 against the rotating tines or teeth 149 of a carding cylinder148. A slotted aperture 158 in the duct wall 104 provides a shallowpenetration of the tooth 149 perimeter into the accumulated cotton bed128. Fiber snagged by the teeth 149 from the accumulation bed 128 iscarried by the teeth 149 around the rotational arc of the cardingcylinder 148 into a rotating nip 188 with a rotary brush 246. Here, themore rapidly rotating rotary brush 246 extracts the samples from thecard cylinder teeth. A vacuum pipe 248 having a pickup opening adjacentto the brush 246 perimeter drafts the fiber held by the brush bristleinto the pipe for delivery into the micronaire test chamber.

In alternate embodiments, the cotton sample is not acquired anddelivered automatically from the cotton feed stream in the gin to thetest equipment. In these alternate embodiments, the cotton sample isobtained in some other manner and delivered to a stand-alone piece oftest equipment. The stand-alone test station may house all or any one ofa number of different combinations of the instrumentation describedherein, including the testers for fiber length, fiber lengthdistribution, fiber strength, fiber elongation, fiber moisture content,fiber trash content, fiber trash identification, fiber color, fibercolor distribution, fiber micronaire, and fiber maturity. Preferably,the stand-alone test station includes test stations for fiber length,fiber moisture, and fiber color.

In one embodiment, depicted in FIG. 26, large samples of cotton areacquired and brought to the test station 400 in bins or cassettes 402,such as depicted in FIG. 27. The bins or cassettes 402 preferablyinclude some sort of identifier so that each bin or cassette 402 can beuniquely identified by the test station 400. One method of accomplishingthis is to have a removable bar code label 404 on each bin or cassette402, that is scanned by the test station 400 and to which all of themeasurements taken by the test station 400 are correlated. The bins orcassettes 402 are loaded into an automated staging and indexing system,such as on a moving conveyor belt 406. In this manner, bins or cassettes402 containing new cotton samples can be brought to the test station 400and loaded while the test station 400 is still busy taking measurementson a previously loaded bin or cassette 402. When the readings on thecurrent bin or cassette 402 are concluded, the staging and indexingsystem is incremented, bringing the next bin or cassette 402 into aposition when the cotton sample within it can be measured, while theprevious cassette is placed onto an output means, such as another movingconveyor belt 408. The previously measured cotton sample isautomatically moved to a holding station, from which it can be removedat a later point in time.

In this embodiment, subsamples are preferably acquired from the cottonsample contained within the bin or cassette 402. In the process ofacquiring the subsamples, the cotton sample is preferably more fullyopened. In other words, the process of acquiring the subsample tends toindividualize the fibers within the cotton sample to a greater degree.One such sample extraction apparatus is illustrated in FIG. 24 andcomprises a pair of closed belt circuits 350 and 351 driven in oppositecirculation directions. The segment 382 of the belt 350 circuitcooperates with the segment 384 of the belt 351 circuit to delineate theboundaries of a fiber capture zone 380 therebetween. Traveling inopposite directions about respective circuits, these belt segments 382and 384 converge upon a mutual throat zone 386.

Belt 351 is driven about carrier rollers, including 352 and 353, havingfixed position axes relative to the frame plates 354. The rotationalaxes of carrier rollers 355, 356 and 357, however, are secured to atranslation arm 358. The rotational axis of carrier roller 355 is alsorestrained by a swing link 360 having an opposite end rotational axiscommon with that of a carding cylinder 362. The rotational axes ofcarrier rolls 355 and 350 are also confined to guide slot paths 366 and368 secured to the frame plates 354. Translation movement of thetranslation arm 358 responds to the extension of rod 370 from thecylinder 372. Such extension of the rod 370 translates the belt circuit350 about the axis of carding cylinder 362 while the guide slots 366 and368 sustain the orientation of the belt circuit 350 relative to the beltcircuit 351. Such translation selectively adjusts the sample capturezone 380 volume between the belt circuits for consolidating cottonparticles into the throat area 386 therebetween. This throat area 386discharges into the rotating convergence between carding cylinders 362and 364. Emerging from the carding cylinder convergence, the fullyopened cotton particles are drafted into a vacuum nozzle 374 fortransport via discharge duct 376 to a micronaire measurement chamber orother cotton property test instrument, such a cotton maturity teststation.

In an alternate embodiment, the subsamples for the micronaire andmaturity test stations are acquired by the carding and doffing apparatusas described more particularly elsewhere herein, and as depicted in FIG.21.

Preferably, the fiber subsamples for the fiber length, lengthdistribution, strength, and elongation test stations 422 are acquiredusing a comb sampler on a circuitous belt, such as is describedelsewhere herein with greater particularity. The combs contact thecotton within the cassette 402 in one or more of several different ways.For example, the combs can contact the cotton through a slot 410 in thetop, bottom, or sides of the cassette 402. Alternately, the combs canremove the cotton subsample from apertures 412 in the top, bottom, orsides of the cassette 402, where the cotton is pressed through theapertures 412 by a ram 418 entering the cassette 402 from the otherside.

The subsamples for the fiber color, color distribution, trash content,and trash identification are preferably acquired by compressing thefiber sample within the cassette 402 with a ram 418 that enters througha port 414 on one side of the cassette 402, and presses the cottonsubsample against a transparent plate of the cotton property teststation 420, which is disposed adjacent a second port 416 on theopposite side of the cassette 402. The fiber moisture sensing station isdisposed adjacent the transparent plate in one embodiment, and in theend of the ram 418 in another.

In yet another embodiment, depicted in FIGS. 28A-28D, the stand-alonetest equipment does not acquire subsamples from a bin or cassette 402.In this embodiment, the subsamples are prepared in another manner, suchas by manually opening the cotton samples and placing them individuallyadjacent or within the testing surfaces or chambers where themeasurements are taken. For example, the sample for the moisture contentreading is placed into contact with the moisture sensor arrays 424, andthe sample for the micronaire reading is placed within the micronairechamber 426. Further, the sample for the length, strength, elongation,and fiber length distribution reading is placed on top of an aperturegrid 428 where a comb can acquire the subsample. Thus, this is a moremanual embodiment of the invention, which might be used in a gin havinga lower volume of production, or in a gin where the raw cotton has veryuniform properties over time so that the fully automated control of theother embodiments is not required.

In a preferred configuration of this embodiment, a fiber containmentmeans, such as a moving plate 430, compacts and confines a fiber samplein a stationary fashion between the plate 430 and a perimeter wall, suchas a test surface 432. The fiber moisture testing station 424 may belocated either in the moving plate 430 or on the test surface 432. Thefiber color testing station 436 is preferably disposed adjacent atransparent optical window 438 within a portion of the test surface 432.

An aperture plate 428 is preferably disposed adjacent the optical window438 in the test surface 432. The moving plate 430 presses a portion ofthe cotton sample through the apertures 440. This portion of the cottonsample is engaged by a comb on the other side of the aperture plate 428,and taken to a fiber testing station, such as a fiber length testingstation. The comb may be a part of a circuitous sampler, described withmore particularity elsewhere herein. Alternately, the comb may be asingle comb that travels along a path to grooming stations and then tothe testing station, and then returns along the same path to acquireanother subsample. In the preferred embodiment, the comb is movedrelative to the cotton sample, which is held stationary in reference tothe rest of the testing apparatus. Thus, the subsampling comb movesrelative to the rest of the testing apparatus. This greatly simplifiesthe mechanical operation of the subsampling process, and allows for theother tests, such as moisture content and trash content, to beconcurrently performed on portions of the same fiber sample from whichthe fiber length subsample is taken.

A console 442 is used to enter identifying and other information aboutthe fiber sample being testing. The information may be entered on akeyboard 446 or by a bar code reader 444. The information and testresults are presented on a display 448.

Duct Flow Routing

Viewing FIGS. 5 and 6 together, a typical duct flow routing apparatus isshown to serve the saw lint cleaner 82I. The same duct flow routingprinciples described hereafter with respect to the lint cleaner 82I arealso applicable to the other material processing and conditioningmachines in the gin system such as the dryers and green boll separators.

For the example selected, transitional ducts 106I and 108I connect theflow controller body 100I (4-way valve) to the main flow stream duct110I. Between the junctions with the main duct 110I respective to thetransitional ducts 106I and 108I is a duct flow gate 196I rotated aboutan operational quadrant by a linear motor 197I. Deployment of the flowgate 196I blocks the main flow stream between an upstream duct section110I and a downstream duct section 110J. When the flow gate 196I isdeployed to block flow between duct sections 110I and 110J, linear motor199I operates to rotate the flow gate 198I to a position of open flowconnection between the upstream duct section 110I and the inlettransitional duct 106I. Additionally, linear motor 194I operates toposition the flow controller switch plate 190I for isolation of theinlet flow stream from the exit flow stream. Accordingly, the cottonentrained flow stream arriving along duct section 110I is guided intothe transitional duct 106I and finally into the lint condenser supplychute 81I. Coming out of the lint cleaner 82I, discharge duct 86Itransports the flow stream back to the flow controller 100I and fromthere into the discharge transitional duct 108I for return into thedownstream section 110J of the mainstream duct.

In the alternative condition, the duct flow routing apparatus of FIGS. 5and 6 rotates the mainstream flow gate 196I to open the main flow streamduct between the upstream duct section 110I and the downstream ductsection 110J. Simultaneously, flow gate 198I is rotated to close thejuncture opening between the upstream duct section 110I and thetransitional inlet duct 106I. Although mainstream flow into the cleaner82I is blocked by flow gate 198I, it is essential that the processmachine be isolated from the main transport duct 110J for purposes ofdraft power management. Hence, the flow switch plate is rotated to theclosure position that isolates the cleaner inlet and discharge ducts 81Iand 86I from the flow controller outlet 108I and the main duct 110J.

An alternate embodiment of the automated flow control for the presentinvention is schematically illustrated by FIG. 7. In this embodiment,closure of the flow gate 212 by rotary actuator 214 isolates an upstreamsection 110B of the main flow stream from a downstream section 110C.Coordinately, remotely controlled rotary actuator 218 positions the flowgate 216 to open a passageway from the mainstream duct 110B into theflow controller inlet 106B. Additionally, remotely controlled rotaryactuator 211 positions the flow switch plate 210 of the 4-way valve 100Bto isolate the flow stream into the inclined cylinder cleaner 34 fromthe discharge flow stream 39. Simultaneously, 4-way valve 100B connectsthe cylinder cleaner discharge duct with the valve discharge conduit108B and the downstream section 110C of the main flow stream.

Should it be determined by the material property test data thatprocessing the material flow stream through the stick and green leafcleaner 40 is unnecessary and undesirable, remotely controlled rotaryactuator 226 operates the flow gate 224 to close the machine 40 inletduct 106C from the main flow stream 110C. Flow gate 220 is operated byrotary actuator 222 to open the mainstream flow section 110C to the nextsuccessive flow section 110D.

The FIG. 8 invention embodiment engages a Y-joint section 228 of ductingat the juncture of the flow controller inlet 106B with the mainstreamduct 110. In this embodiment of the invention, flow gates 212 and 216swing substantially in parallel and therefore may be operated by asingle actuator.

Length and Strength Fiber Testing

Referring again to FIG. 9, the first increment of belt movementfollowing extraction of a fiber subsample beard 161 by a carrier beltcomb 162, stops the belt comb in front of a first grooming station 166.This first grooming station 166 preferably comprises a rotary cardingcylinder 167 having stiff wire bristles to rectify the individual fibersof a beard and remove entangled fiber clusters called "neps." An airdraft may be drawn over the rotating carding cylinder to cleanse thecylinder bristles of neps and loose fiber.

A second advancement increment of the carrier belt positions the beltcarried comb holding the carded beard 161 in alignment with thetranslation path of a rotary brushing station 168. The brushing station168 is mounted on linear bearings 169 for controlled movement driven bya second stepping motor not shown between an operative position mostproximate of the belt carried comb 162 and an inoperative position thatis more remote from the comb 162 path of movement. The previously cardedbeard is now drawn into a nip between a finer, pliable bristle rotarybrush 154 and a cooperative plate 156. When the brushing interval iscomplete, the brushing station 168 is withdrawn from the belt along thetranslation path determined by the linear bearing 169.

The third advancement increment of the carrier belt 160 aligns thecombed and brushed beard 161 projecting from the belt carried comb 162with a specimen slot 230 (not depicted in FIG. 9) in the length/strengthtester 170. As a unit, the length/strength tester 170 is reciprocatedalong a linear bearing 176 by a third stepping motor, also not shown.With respect to FIGS. 10 through 16, the tester 170 is enclosed by ahousing having a front wall plate 232. With particular reference to FIG.14, the housing front wall plate supports a rigid, light guide plate 233with a "floating" mount that permits the glass light guide 233 a limiteddegree of independent movement relative to the front wall plate 232. Aslot 230 in the guide plate 233 divides the plate between an upper lightguide section 234 and a lower light guide section 236. The upper edge238 of the glass upper light guide section 234 is a diffusive lightreceptor having a frosted, concave surface. Along the focal axis of thereceptor concavity is an array of multiple light emitting diodes (LED)240. Along the lower edge of the lower light guide 236 is an elongated,large area photo sensor 242. The critically sensitive elements of thislight sensor are relatively fixed for alignment maintenance therefore. Adraft pipe 244 draws air from within the housing to stimulate an airdraft into the beard slot 230. As the tester front wall advances byrotation of the stepping motor along the linear bearing 176 toward thecarrier belt, the air draft into the slot 230 assures penetration of theslot 230 by the beard 161.

Penetration of the slot 230 by the beard 161 blocks a calibrated lighttransmission from the upper light guide 234 into the lower light guide236 thereby influencing the signal values emitted by the photo sensor242. By coordinating the photo sensor signal values to the position ofthe tester unit 170 as the beard progresses into the slot 230, both thegreatest fiber length and fiber length variation may be determined forthe beard constituency. The angular positioning of the stepping motordrive signals the relative location of the testing unit 170 to thetester control program with great precision. Fiber length and fiberlength variation values respective to each beard subsample extractedfrom the material mainstream are combined with a predetermined number ofpreceding values to generate a representative average value.

It will be useful to review the data acquired from a sample beard by thelength/strength test instrument. As the beard advances between the upperand lower light guides, the initial reduction in light transmissionacross the slot 230 detected by the photo sensor 242 signals arrival ofthe leading edge of the longest fiber in the beard. This arrival signalis correlated to the simultaneous stepping motor signal for a positionalreference point. This correlation continues until the photo sensor 242signals remain substantially unchanging as beard penetration continues.The stepping motor signal at this positional point is noted by thecontrol program to resolve a linear differential between the leadingedge reference point and the signal stabilization point. It is inferredfrom the stable photo sensor signal that all fibers in the beard are atleast long enough to interrupt the slot 230 light transmission.Consequently, this position location of the slot designates the shortestfiber in the beard. Notwithstanding further penetration of the beardinto the slot, no additional light transmission is lost. The lineardistance between the reference point and the stabilization point,therefore, is the fiber length variation.

The foregoing procedure may be expanded with an iterative calculus tocorrelate intermediate slot positions between the reference point andthe stabilization point to a magnitude or percentage of light reductionrespective to each linear increment in the overall differential for alength distribution appraisal.

With the testing unit 170 at the most proximate location relative to thebelt carried comb 162, the beard 161 is at a position of penetrationinto the slot 230 that passes the beard between two pair of vise jaws250 and 252 (FIG. 16). Vise 250 has a fixed position with respect to atesting unit 170 frame supported by the linear bearing 176. Vise 252 isprovided reciprocal movement with respect to the fixed position vise250. The reciprocating movement of vise 252 is parallel with the linearbearing 176 movement. Fixed position vise 250 comprises a fixed positionlower jaw 250b and a moving upper jaw 250a. Two laterally balanced pairsof air cylinders 260 are secured to the fixed position lower jaw 250b.Piston actuated rods 262 projecting from each cylinder 260 are securedto the moving upper jaw 250a of the fixed position vise 250. Opposedvise jaw bars 254a and 254b, secured to the moving upper jaw 250a and tothe fixed position lower jaw 250b, respectively, are aligned with theplane of the beard slot 230 and when open, receive the beard 161therebetween.

The moving vise 252 also comprises a fixed position lower jaw 252b and amoving upper jaw 252a. Air cylinders 264 are secured to the fixedposition lower jaw 252b. Piston rods 266 projecting from the respectivecylinders 264, are secured to a moving upper jaw 252a. Vise jaw bar 256ais secured to the moving upper jaw 252a above the beard penetrationplane and vise jaw bar 256b is secured to the fixed position lower jaw252b below the beard penetration plane.

A reciprocating transmission mechanism such as a jack screw or worm andrack secured to and between the lower jaw 250b of the fixed positionvise 250 and the lower jaw 252b of the moving vise 252 is driven by ahighly accurate stepping motor 174. A calibration magnet 268 secured tothe lower jaw of the moving vise 252 cooperates with a calibrationswitch 269 to maintain the accuracy of relative displacementmeasurements between the fixed and moving vises implied from the angularposition signals for the stepping motor. Additionally, the transmissionmechanism is secured to the moving vise 252 through a load or forcemeasuring cell 270. A floating joint 272 accommodates calibrationadjustments between the load cell 270 and the moving vise 252.

For consistent and meaningful fiber elongation and strength measurement,it is preferable that the number of fibers subjected to failure stressbe known or at least a consistent number isolated for measurement. Fromthe length and length distribution data obtained from the light sensor,a beard 161 plan may be visualized as shown by FIG. 25. Within the beardplan, the position of a planar line 163 may be located relative to thereference plane. The position of this line 163 is selected to cross apredetermined total number of fibers, regardless of the fiberdistribution sequence across the beard plan. The testing unit 170position, therefore, is adjusted relative to the beard 161 to align theplane of line 163 between the beard clamping jaws 254 and 256. Here, theair cylinders 260 and 264 are charged with pressurized air to close themoving jaws 250a and 252a toward the respective stationary jaws 250b and252b. Consequently, a substantially consistent number of fibers in thebeard 161 is clamped between respective pairs of vise jaw bars 254 and256. While clamped, the stepping motor 174 drives the transmission toseparate the moving vise jaw set 252 from the fixed position vise jaws250. A cumulative count of the stepping motor arc pulses multiplied bythe transmission ratio determines the linear distance of the jaw pairseparation with considerable precision. Simultaneous with the jawseparation, the load cell 270 senses and transmits to the controlcomputer the force values required to continue the fiber elongation.This force monitored elongation of the subsample beard is continueduntil rupture. When the beard breaks between the two pairs of clampingbars 254 and 256, the value of fiber elongation and maximum strength hasbeen determined. Thereafter, the control computer directs the visecylinders to open. The severed beard end that had been clamped betweenclamping bars 256 is removed by the slot 230 draft through the draftpipe 244. The fore end of the beard 161 remains secured to the beltcarried comb 162. As depicted in FIG. 9, a subsequent advancement of thebelt 160 aligns the comb 162 with a beard disposal station 172. Here thefiber clamping mechanism of the comb 162 is opened and the beardresidual is removed by the operation of a brush and vacuum.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize the value inpositioning the on-line length/strength measuring system of FIGS. 9-16before and after the most critical cotton processing such as drying andginning. In particular, it is useful to know if the average fiber lengthin a flow system is being reduced in transit through a set dryersequence. Similarly, if fiber emerging from the gin stand suffers anaverage strength reduction, certain upstream process changes may be inorder.

Micronaire Testing

Basis for a micronaire value is derived from Koxeny's equation whichprovides a credible approximation for the permeability of powders havinga negligible number of "blind" pores. See The American Institute ofPhysics Handbook. This equation characterizes the relationship of airflow resistance over a surface with a known mass in a known volume.

    M=(RM).sup.x

When: ##EQU1## and:

    X=1+[(W-10)100][0.00125-|3.5-RM|0.00015]

where, over a sample weight range of 8 to 12 grams:

M=Corrected micronaire value

RM=Raw micronaire value

HMC=High calibration cotton value

LMC=Low calibration cotton value

LMP=Pressure of low calibration cotton value

HMP=Pressure of high calibration cotton value

P=Pressure of cotton under test

W=Weight of cotton under test, grams

With respect to the example of FIG. 3, erection of the flapper element130 provides a localized pressure region to complement an external draftdrawn through the shunting duct 180 for extraction of a mainstreammaterial sample into the micronaire testing apparatus. FIGS. 17 through19 illustrate a sample extraction apparatus that exploits a perforatedbaffle 280 to establish a localized pressure zone around the opening 182into the micronaire shunting duct 180. Like the flapper 130, theperforated baffle 280 is selectively rotated into and from an operativeposition within the duct 110 mainstream by a computer controlled rotaryactuator not shown.

A first of our micronaire testing instruments comprises a cylinder bore292 having pistons 294 and 296 to delineate the opposite axial ends ofthe piston bore 292. Each of the pistons 294 and 296 is reciprocablebetween an extended position and a retracted position relative torespective air pressure actuating cylinders 295 and 297. Either or bothof the pistons 294 and 296 are perforated or porous for substantiallyfree passage of air therethrough. However, such perforations aresufficiently small to block and retain any lint in an air flow streampassing therethrough. Between the rod-end face 298 of the cylinder 295and the rod side of the piston 294 is an air flow rectificationmechanism not shown that will permit an ingress of air flow into thecylinder bore 292 when the piston 294 is extended from the actuatingcylinder 295. Such a mechanism may be an orifice through the wall of thecylinder bore 292 that is covered or otherwise closed by the piston 294when in the retracted position.

In a presently preferred embodiment of this micronaire test apparatus,the micronaire cylinder bore diameter is about 1.5 inches. Axial lengthof a mid-length sample collection zone X of the cylinder bore 192 isabout 6.0 inches. Between the face plane of the retracted piston 294 andthe upstream delineation plane of the collection zone X, the sampleshunting duct 180 penetrates the wall of the micronaire cylinder bore292 at an intersection angle sufficiently small to allow a smoothtransition of fluidized lint from the shunting duct 180 into thecylinder bore 292. Similarly, a vacuum draft duct 300 penetrates thewall of the cylinder bore 292 at a low angle of intersection between thedownstream delineation plane of the sample collection zone X and theface of the retracted piston 296.

Within the sample collection zone X of the micronaire test bore 292 is apressure differential measuring zone Y that is about 4.0 inches long.Referring to FIG. 20, the cylinder bore wall 292 is perforated about itscircumference by two planar aligned aperture groups 302 and 304. Theupstream group of apertures 302 open into an upstream manifold collar306. The downstream group of apertures 304 open into a downstreammanifold collar 308. The two manifold collars are operatively connectedto a pressure differential signal transmitter 310.

An operational cycle of the micronaire test apparatus may begin withretraction of the upstream perforated piston 294 and extension of thedownstream perforated piston 296 as illustrated by FIG. 17.Additionally, the valve disc 184 is turned by the rotary actuator 186into planar alignment with the axis of shunting duct 180 to open theshunting duct into the sample collection zone X of micronaire cylinderbore 292. When a vacuum is drawn within the draft duct 300, an air flowthrough the perforated piston 296 draws fiber from the duct 110, throughthe shunting duct 180 and into the sample collection zone X. Entrainedfiber is screened from this flow stream against the face of downstreampiston 296 and accumulates within the sample collection zone X. As theaccumulation grows and compresses, resistance to air flow through theaccumulation increases accordingly. The quantity of accumulation isrelated to the pressure differential across the accumulated mass. Whenthe pressure differential between the upstream apertures 302 and thedownstream apertures 304, as monitored by the pressure differentialtransmitter 310, increases to a predetermined threshold levelrepresentative of a sufficient accumulation for a micronaire test, thecontrol computer transmits a command signal to the rotary actuator 186to close the disc valve 184. Sequentially, the upstream actuatingcylinder 295 is activated to extend the upstream piston 294. At thispoint, both pistons 294 and 296 are fully extended to define a variable,albeit, determinable, volume Z within the cylinder bore 292. This volumeZ is occupied by a substantially known quantity of compacted fiber.

It will be recalled that when the upstream piston 294 is fullyretracted, exterior air passages into the cylinder bore 192 interior areclosed. When the upstream piston 294 is extended, these exterior airpassages are opened. Now, the air flow drawn by the vacuum draft duct300 arrives from behind the upstream piston 294 and passes through thepiston perforations into the accumulated fiber mass between the twopiston faces. See FIG. 18. Since pressure loss through the pistons iseither negligible or a calibrated value, air pressure loss through thecompressed fiber mass along the axial length of volume Z is measured bythe pressure differential transmitter 320. The control computer receivesa signal from the transmitter 320 corresponding to the pressuredifferential value along the axial length of volume Z.

Referring to FIG. 19, after the second pressure differential is measuredby transmitter 320, downstream piston 296 is retracted by the actuatingcylinder 297 thereby opening the vacuum draft duct 300 directly into thecylinder bore 292. No longer restrained by the face of piston 296, theaccumulated fiber mass moves as a plug into the draft duct 300. Duct 300transports the plug to a weight scale 312. Signals corresponding to thefiber plug weight are transmitted to the control computer 200 forcoordination with the signal value from the pressure differentialtransmitter 310 to resolve the micronaire value for this sample.

Another embodiment of the micronaire test apparatus is shown by theexploded assembly illustration of FIG. 22. This arrangement requiresonly one fiber sample supply duct 278 that opens into a main tube body274. An air draft flowing from the primary carrier duct (not depicted)passes along the main tube body 274, through the concentrically alignedmeasurement chamber 276 and through a pair of diametrically opposite,screened ports 282 of the flow control ball element 287. The ballelement 287 also has an open port aperture 285. In a first rotaryposition controlled by a rotary actuator not shown, the screened ports282 are open through the valve body 284. A second rotary position of theball element 287, oriented 90° to the first, aligns the open portaperture 285 through the valve body 284.

A pressure differential measuring apparatus such as that described withrespect to FIG. 20 is provided in the measurement chamber 276. Coaxiallyaligned with the measurement chamber 276 is a porous or perforatedsample compression piston 322 secured to the end of a piston rod 324.The rod 324 shaft has a sliding penetration through the cap 325 for themain tube body 274. The exterior end of the compression piston rod 324is secured to and positionally controlled by a position feedback aircylinder not shown. The position feed back air cylinder is mainly adouble acting air cylinder having positive pressure driven displacementin either of opposite directions, selectively. In addition, however, thelocation of a displacement element such as a piston or rod is monitoredrelative to the cylinder or vice-versa. In either case, a positioncontrol signal is available to direct or report the relative location ofa moving element such as the compression piston 322.

Cotton particles carried by the air draft from the primary transportduct are deposited against the screen of ball port 282. Accumulation ofthese particles within the measurement chamber 276 is detected andmonitored by the pressure differential measuring apparatus of FIG. 20.When the predetermined pressure differential is detected correspondingto an adequate quantity of accumulated cotton sample, the controlprogram terminates the air draft source and the entry of additionalcotton into the measurement chamber. Next, the position feedback aircylinder advances the compression piston 322 into the measurementchamber 276 to a predetermined pressure load against the accumulatedsample. Simultaneously, the piston position is reported to the controlprogram thereby providing essential data for determination of the samplevolume. At this state, a known air flow rate is induced through thecompressed sample, passing through the compression piston 322 and thescreened ball ports 282. Air flow resistance is determined from thepressure loss across the compressed cotton sample as function of theknown flow rate. In turn, the micronaire value is calculated by thecomputer 200 as a function of the flow resistance and other knownparameters.

With the airflow resistance concluded, the flow control ball element isrotated 90° to align the open port aperture 285. Further extension ofthe compression piston 322 by the position feedback air cylinder pushesthe cotton sample out from the measurement chamber 276 and into anautomated weight station 312 such as described with respect to the FIG.19 embodiment. Such weight data may be referenced for mass verification.If desired, the extracted sample may also be discarded or recycled. Ineither case, upon discharge of the sample through the ball element 287,the ball element angular position is restored to the original sample,accumulation position.

A third micronaire testing embodiment of the invention comprises thedevice of FIG. 23 wherein a cotton sample core 129 is isolated from alarger accumulation 128 by a coring punch 330. The larger accumulation128 may be consolidated by any of several known means such as a flapper130 having a coring aperture 139. Aligned with the coring aperture 139is the core punch 330 having an edged end 332. The punch body isreversibly translated by a hollow bore rod element 334 to selectivelyengage the edged end 332 with a circular sealing/cutting channel 336 inthe duct wall 104. It is not essential that the core sample 129 becompletely severed from the larger accumulation 128.

Within the perimeter circumscribed by the channel 336 are one or moreduct wall apertures 338 that may be open to the atmosphere. A slideplate mechanism 339 may be positioned on the exterior side of the ductwall 104 to selectively close the apertures 338 if and when desired.Coaxially aligned within the measuring chamber 344 of the coring punch330 is a perforated compression piston 340. The piston 340 is axiallypositioned by a rod 342 that is secured to the compression piston 340and coaxially confined within the interior of rod 334. An air evacuationduct 346 penetrates the cylindrical wall of the coring punch body 330.Air pressure (or vacuum) within the measuring chamber 344 is sensed andtransmitted to the control computer by pressure transducer 348.

This FIG. 23 embodiment of the micronaire invention is most useful inthe overall process stream after the gin stand and lint cleaners wherefully opened cotton samples may be obtained. Such fully opened samplesare desired for assurance of uniform fiber density and sampleconsistency in the measuring chamber 344.

Actuation of the punch body rod 334 is a simple, full stroke movementthat is coordinated with the compaction element 130. Positioning of thecompression piston 340, however, is infinitely controlled between strokelimits within the measuring chamber 344 by a feedback controlled air orelectric motor, not shown, that drives the piston rod 342. One functionof the piston 340 feedback control is to regulate the piston 340pressure (or force) on the sample 129 within a predetermined set-pointrange. Secondly, the feedback control reports the piston 340 faceposition for determination of a corresponding measuring chamber volumeof infinite variability between the extreme limits of the piston 340stroke.

With a sample 129 under the predetermined load of the compression piston340 while occupying a known volume within the measuring chamber, thecorresponding sample 129 weight is determined by algorithm. A known airflow rate drawn through the duct 346 is coordinated with thecorresponding chamber pressure measured by the transducer 348. From thisdata array, a "weightless" micronaire value may be calculated.

As a further application of the FIG. 23 embodiment, cotton sampleproperties corresponding to prior at "maturity" values may bedetermined. According to the prior art "maturity value" measurementprocedure, a known weight quantity of fully open cotton is compressed toa first predetermined volume, a known "low" air flow rate is drawnthrough the first compressed volume and the pressure differential noted.Subsequently, the same sample is further compressed to a secondpredetermined volume and a known "high" air flow rate is drawn throughthe second volume. The pressure differential of the "high" air flowvolume is combined with that of the "low" air flow pressure differentialvalue to calculate the fiber maturity value using a classical ASTMformula.

A modified maturity value may be determined from an operationalprocedure using the FIG. 23 embodiment in which the compression piston340 is programmed to two or more positions, progressively. At each ofthe preprogrammed piston positions definitive of a corresponding volume,the air flow rate through the sample, the pressure differential from thesample and the piston load are noted data. From the noted data, thecotton maturity value may be determined. This maturity valuedetermination process may be incremental or continuous.

The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this inventionhave been presented for purposes of illustration and description. Theyare not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to theprecise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possiblein light of the above teachings. The embodiments were chosen anddescribed to provide the best illustrations of the principles of theinvention and its practical application to thereby enable one ofordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in variousembodiments and with various modifications as is suited to theparticular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations arewithin the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claimswhen interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they arefairly, legally and equitably entitled.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fiber property testing system for receivingfiber samples contained within cassettes and testing fiber properties ofthe fiber samples within the cassettes, comprising:cassette input meansfor receiving the cassettes into the fiber property testing system,fiber property testing stations, fiber subsampling means for removingfiber subsamples from the fiber samples within the cassettes andproviding the fiber subsamples to at least one of the fiber propertytesting stations, and cassette output means for removing the cassettesfrom the fiber property testing system.
 2. The fiber property testingsystem of claim 1 wherein the fiber property testing stations furthercomprise a fiber micronaire testing station.
 3. The fiber propertytesting system of claim 1 wherein the fiber property testing stationsfurther comprise a fiber length testing station.
 4. The fiber propertytesting system of claim 1 wherein the fiber property testing stationsfurther comprise a fiber strength testing station.
 5. The fiber propertytesting system of claim 1 wherein the fiber property testing stationsfurther comprise a fiber length distribution testing station.
 6. Thefiber property testing system of claim 1 wherein the fiber propertytesting stations further comprise a fiber elongation testing station. 7.The fiber property testing system of claim 1 wherein the fiber propertytesting stations further comprise a fiber color testing station.
 8. Thefiber property testing system of claim 1 wherein the fiber propertytesting stations further comprise a fiber color distribution testingstation.
 9. The fiber property testing system of claim 1 wherein thefiber property testing stations further comprise a fiber trash contenttesting station.
 10. The fiber property testing system of claim 1wherein the fiber property testing stations further comprise a fibertrash identification testing station.
 11. The fiber property testingsystem of claim 1 wherein the fiber property testing stations furthercomprise a fiber maturity testing station.
 12. The fiber propertytesting system of claim 1 wherein the cassette input means furthercomprise a conveyor belt.
 13. The fiber property testing system of claim1 wherein the cassette output means further comprise a conveyor belt.14. The fiber property testing system of claim 1 wherein the fibersubsampling means further comprise:a pair of closed circuit belts drivenabout respective convergent guide circuits that partially bound a fibercapture zone, for consolidating at least a portion of the fiber sampleinto a throat zone, fiber transfer means adjacent the throat zone forextracting the fiber subsample from the throat zone and delivering thefiber subsample into fiber conduit means.
 15. The fiber property testingsystem of claim 14 wherein at least one of the belt circuits may betranslated relative to the other for selectively adjusting the size ofthe fiber capture zone.
 16. The fiber property testing system of claim14 wherein the fiber transfer means further comprise carding cylindersfor transfer of the fiber subsample into the fiber conduit means. 17.The fiber property testing system of claim 14 wherein the fiber conduitmeans further comprises a vacuum nozzle for drafting the fiber subsamplefrom the fiber transfer means in a fluidized flow of fibers.
 18. Thefiber property testing system of claim 14 wherein the fiber capture zonefurther comprises at least a portion of the cassette.
 19. The fiberproperty testing system of claim 1 wherein the fiber subsampling meansfurther comprises sampling combs moving translationally in reference tothe fiber sample in the cassette, and contacting the fiber samplethrough portal means in the cassette, the sampling combs gathering thefiber subsample from the fiber sample within the cassette.
 20. The fiberproperty testing system of claim 19 wherein the portal means furthercomprise a slotted opening in the cassette.
 21. The fiber propertytesting system of claim 19 wherein the portal means further compriseapertures in the cassette.
 22. The fiber property testing system ofclaim 1 wherein the fiber subsampling means further comprises samplingcombs aligned with portal means in the cassette, the sampling combssecured to a circuitous belt for selected incremental movement about aclosed circuit traveling route, a first increment of the traveling routecausing one of the sampling combs to engage and remove the fibersubsample from the fiber sample in the cassette.
 23. The fiber propertytesting system of claim 22 wherein the portal means further comprise aslotted opening in the cassette.
 24. The fiber property testing systemof claim 22 wherein the portal means further comprise apertures in thecassette.
 25. The fiber property testing system of claim 1 wherein thefiber subsampling means further comprises:a card having substantiallyradial projections from a substantially cylindrical surface, the carddriven to rotate the projections through an arc that engages the fibersample through portal means in the cassette, the projections removingthe fiber subsample from the fiber sample; a rotary brush disposedadjacent the card for brushing the fiber subsample from the radialprojections of the card; and, a vacuum nozzle for removing the fibersubsample from the rotary brush.
 26. The fiber property testing systemof claim 19 wherein the portal means further comprise a slotted openingin the cassette.
 27. The fiber property testing system of claim 19wherein the portal means further comprise apertures in the cassette. 28.The fiber property testing system of claim 1 wherein the fibersubsampling means further comprises ram means for entering the cassettethrough a first portal in the cassette and pressing the fiber subsamplewithin the cassette adjacent at least one of the fiber property testingstations disposed adjacent a second portal in the cassette.
 29. A fiberproperty testing system for receiving fiber samples contained withincassettes and testing fiber properties of the fiber samples within thecassettes, comprising:cassette input means including a first conveyorbelt, for receiving the cassettes into the fiber property testingsystem, fiber property testing stations, including;a fiber micronairetesting station, a fiber maturity testing station, a fiber lengthtesting station, a fiber strength testing station, a fiber lengthdistribution testing station, a fiber elongation testing station, afiber color testing station, a fiber color distribution testing station,a fiber trash content testing station, and a fiber trash identificationtesting station; fiber subsampling means for removing fiber subsamplesfrom the fiber samples within the cassettes and providing the fibersubsamples to at least one of the fiber property testing stations, thefiber subsampling means including;a pair of closed circuit belts drivenabout respective convergent guide circuits that partially bound a fibercapture zone, the fiber capture zone including at least a portion of thecassette, at least one of the belt circuits translatable relative to theother for selectively adjusting the size of the fiber capture zone, forconsolidating at least a portion of the fiber sample into a throat zone,fiber transfer means including carding cylinders, adjacent the throatzone for extracting the fiber subsample from the throat zone anddelivering the fiber subsample into fiber conduit means, the fiberconduit having a vacuum nozzle for drafting the fiber subsample from thefiber transfer means in a fluidized flow of fibers to the fibermicronaire and maturity testing stations, sampling combs movingtranslationally in reference to the fiber sample in the cassette, andcontacting the fiber sample through a slotted opening in the cassette,the sampling combs gathering the fiber subsample from the fiber samplewithin the cassette and delivering the fiber subsample to the fiberlength, length distribution, strength, and elongation testing stations,and ram means for entering the cassette through a first portal in thecassette and pressing the fiber subsample within the cassette adjacentthe fiber color, color distribution, trash content, trashidentification, and moisture testing stations disposed adjacent a secondportal in the cassette, and cassette output means including a secondconveyor belt, for removing the cassettes from the fiber propertytesting system.
 30. The fiber property testing system of claim 29wherein the ram means further comprises the fiber moisture testingstation disposed on an end of the ram means contacting the fibersubsample through the first portal in the cassette.